THE VOICE 2 SPOTLIGHT: The Blind Auditions #1

THE VOICE 2 SPOTLIGHT: The Blind Auditions #1

We finally got back to The Voice, after a monstrous debut season (and equally disastrous record sales from its inaugural winner Javier Colon) and I think we've already found some interesting talent and stories. Jessie Campbell's homelessness, Christina Aguilera's clueless failure to recognize her old Mickey Mouse Club pal Tony Lucca, opera singer Chris Mann (and her pancreatic cancer suffering mother), and 17 year-old Miranda Lambert worshipping Rae Lynn. It's too early to see how the talent will match up to last year's crop but for now it's a pretty modest start.

1) Rae Lynn - 17 - Baytown, TX
"Hell On Heels" (Pistol Annie)
Adam, Blake
Team Blake

It's always risky to tackle a song with a personal connection to a judge but Rae Lynn really did a rather competent rendition of Pistol Annie's "Hell On Heels". Lynn mixed it up so it had more of a folk rock intro before transitioning into a full-fledged country stomp. Really enjoyed the acoustic fueled attitude and vibe of her version and she quickly made a fan out of me after I found her to be initially arrogant for picking a Miranda Lambert song.

2) Jessie Campbell - 42 - Chicago, IL
"A Song For You" (Leon Russell)
Cee Lo, Adam, Christina, Blake
Team Christina

The single father wooed the judges with his beautiful tone and pitch and then Adam Levine wasted no time pitching him by invoking his Javier Colon powered title from last season. I didn't think Blake was really all that seriously in on him but I did feel that Adam and Cee Lo might have a good chance but he ultimately picked Christina Aguilera. Campbell did have some vocal range reminiscent of Colon but I do think that Colon's

3) Daniel Rosa - 20 - Riverside, CA
"Animal" (Neon Tree)

Rosa seemed to be doomed from the start, with Blake Shelton even mouthing to Javier Colon that he was "pitchy" and I think that Rosa's nerves were evident as well. His voice was just not strong enough to turn any of the judges' chairs around and when Shelton confirmed to him to work on his pitch when a teary Rosa maturely asked for constructive criticism, he seemed to nod his head in agreement so he clearly recognized that he was not quite on top of his game. If last year is any template, he could still get a second chance on a callback and his positive attitude, which did not go unnoticed by Christina Aguilera, will serve him well.

4) Juliet Simms - 25 - Clearwater, FL
"Oh! Darling!" (The Beatles)
Cee Lo, Adam, Christina
Team Cee Lo

For someone described as a rocker, she actually sounded much more pop than rock. I didn't find her voice to be terribly overwhelming and I really wish she had chosen a more appropriate anthem for her to show her range off and I'm not so sure about Cee Lo's "Story of my life" bit or the "sexual tension" between Adam and Christina (or her being a lousy coach despite being one of the greatest singers on Earth) but in the end she picked Cee Lo. I think Adam would have been a better pick for her if she's truly a rocker but this says to me that she's more pop rock than straight up rock. I still like her ceiling even though I wasn't flat out blown away at first but if Cee Lo can give the right material to work with then I think he could channel her charismatic personality rather masterfully into a strong finished product.

5) Chris Mann - 29 - Wichita, KS
"Because We Believe" (Andrea Bocelli)
Cee Lo, Christina
Team Christina

I can't imagine many people not being surprised to hear an classically trained opera singer audition for a show like The Voice but when you stop to think about it, they shouldn't be. This is a show, after all, designed to focus on just that - the actual voice. Formally dressed and carrying the story of a mother suffering from pancreatic cancer, Mann brought a new style of vocal to the show with his own Andrea Bocelli like chops and he could either be a dark horse or early elimination fodder. I applaud Mann for declaring that he won't alter his style but I applaud him even more for strategically throwing that out. It certainly allows him to The substance is there but will his own judge keep him moving forward? We'll see if genre bias comes into play but it'd be a shame to see such a refreshingly original talent like Mann be cut for that reason.

6) Tony Lucca - 35 - Waterford, MI
"Trouble"(Ray Lamontage)
Adam, Christina, Blake, Cee Lo
Team Adam

Christina was absolutely oblivious to the fact that Lucca is her fellow former Muskeeter from the Mickey Mouse Club. It took Christina a few minutes to piece it together and when she did, it was hard not to notice the pissed off look on Lucca's face after hearing Christina disclose that Britney Spears had "the biggest crush on him" during their time together. Ultimately though, it was Adam Levine who was picked by the Ray Lamontagne sound-alike to be his mentor. "No hard feelings?" Aguilera asked her old fellow muskeeter but I think it might have just been too weird for him to have picked her although he should have; she still might have remembered him enough vocally to assist him and having an actual relationship already established could have been substantially beneficial, especially since you know all the extra attention to their partnership would have been great for the show and for Tony himself. Still, Adam is a really solid choice for him. In fact, even Blake and Cee Lo would have served him well. Lucca seems to have something about him that makes him universally appealing to all four judges for various reasons.

Well, that's it for now, I suppose. I thoroughly enjoyed Rae Lynn, Juliet Simms, Chris Mann, and Tony Lucca and Jessie Campbell has tremendous tone; there's something really beautiful going on there. We'll see if any of the rejected singers reemerge in any wild card like re-audition like last year. I still don't see anything overwhelmingly more distinctive in terms of talent level than what we have been seeing on this season of American Idol so unless that changes it will probably remain a matter of personal taste for most people regarding their viewing preferences. Two more hours to go Monday Night. Should be exciting!

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